Shopping With... Elspeth Gibson: A soft spot for indulgences

Imogen Fo
Saturday 03 October 1998 23:02 BST
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WHEN ELSPETH Gibson isn't wearing clothes from her own four-year- old label, she shops in Agnes b (0171 379 1992) and Joseph (0171 590 6200). "I really like the shirts in Agnes b; the fabrics and the fit are great." For comfortable clothes she looks in Jigsaw (0171 491 4484) and she has a lovely cotton dressing gown "with green plants and flowers all over it" from fashion-industry favourite Cath Kidston (8 Clarendon Cross, London W11; 0171 221 4000).

Gibson's work often takes her to Paris, where she buys "amazing cheeses", to Japan, where she shops for "loads of Shu Uemura (enquiries: 0171 379 6627) make-up" and to New York. There she goes to a "lovely clothes shop" called Bagutta (402 west Broadway; 001 212 9255216) in SoHo and, not far from there, she loves the beautiful and unusual sandals from Sigerson and Morrison (242 Mott Street, New York; 001 212 2193893).

"Because I wear my own clothes I don't mind spending more on shoes and accessories - I'm very particular about them." Hence Gibson guiltily admits to having a soft spot for Anya Hindmarch bags (15/17 Pont Street, London SW1; 0171 838 9177). "It's very indulgent, I love her bags, day and evening ones."

Other indulgences include fruit tarts ("especially the ones with wild strawberries") from Patisserie Valerie (44 Old Compton Street, London W1; 0171 437 3466). They're perfect "for cheating with" when she and her husband have dinner parties.

Gibson's dark bob and fringe are kept in shape at Fourth Floor (4 Northington Street, London WC1; 0171 405 6011). "It's not really like a hairdresser's - it's a beautiful, spacious white room at the top of a building with a balcony and roof terrace where you can sit outside. It's a very calming place to have your hair cut."

At weekends the designer tries to get into the countryside ("either Cornwall, Cambridgeshire or Wiltshire") where she hunts in local markets for "costume jewellery that could be antique". Back in London, Gibson has the local markets sussed. For flowers and plants for her garden she favours the New Covent Garden Flower Market (0171 720 2211) "at about seven in the morning", and also the flower market on Columbia Road (Ezra Street, London E2; 0171 364 4970) early on Sunday mornings. "It's fantastic in the summer; you can have bagels for breakfast, but any later than ten and it's a nightmare!" The antiques market in Bermondsey in south east London (0171 277 4597) is a Friday favourite.

"I go there for lovely bits of jewellery and old perfume bottles, which I collect as ornaments for my house but I've not got as many as I'd like."

The crockery for her house is usually bought from the Reject Pot Shop in Camden Town (56 Chalk Farm Road, London NW1; 0171 485 2326), a place which often supplies to the restaurant trade. "It's fantastic. They do beautiful white porcelain with slight flaws at reasonable prices, which means you can use them every day; you don't have to keep them for special occasions."

Tanzi, Gibson's grumpy cat, has his shopping done for him in Camden, as well. "There's a shop on Parkway called Palmer's Pet Store (0171 485 5163) which has everything - scratchboards and "mice" filled with catnip. When you drive past at night you can see the cats that live there. They're tearing around the shop in the dark having a great time!"

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